How to Study for AP History Classes

 

It is about this time of the year that I start receiving concerned messages for both parents and students. The first nine weeks have passed, and progress reports have come home. 

Tell me if any of the following comments ring bells for you:

"My student is a straight A student...but..."

"My student is completely lost..."

"My teacher doesn't make any sense..." (uhhh)

"There is always stuff on the tests and quizzes that isn't in the lectures..."

After years of tutoring AP histories (Human Geo, World, US History, European History, and US Gov), I can tell you that the voiced concerns for students struggling with AP "history" are common...and fixable.

How is AP different from other classes?

AP (Advanced Placement) = College Level Course Work

• The content and reasoning expectations are on par with a college level course.

• Studying expectations are the same as a college level course.

• The teacher will assign reading to complement or cover what is or is not covered in the lecture.

• Writing expectations are high and force students to form conclusions supported by evidence. 

• The AP exam in May will cover everything from the entire year. 

• Depending on the university of choice, classes that score a 4 or more may be applied to general subject requirements.

How to study for AP history classes.

Read

• Always read the textbook and any other materials your teacher assigns. 

• It is best to read these materials BEFORE the material will be covered in class. 

• Take notes really good notes AS you read.

• There WILL be material on the exam that your teacher may not cover in lectures. 

• Add material from your reading to your class notes to create solid study materials.

• Write down any questions that come to mind as you read so you can identify what you need help with or clarification of.

Write

• Learn how to take really good lecture notes. 

• Try to make time to re-copy your class notes with the intent of both reviewing and filling in missing information. 

• Writing a brief summary of the day’s lecture in your own words will help you understand the content.

Review

• Read your class notes at the end of every week - this includes the previous weeks’ and months’ content. 

• Use the free version of Quizlet to create both flash cards and map tests for quick review or review on the go. There are ready made decks on the platform. 

• I highly recommend using AMSCO AP books, 5 Steps to a 5 AP Elite Student Editions, and Princeton Review AP Premium Prep to supplement classroom resources for review.

Watch

• Use your College Board AP classroom daily videos. 

• I also recommend Heimler’s History and Mr. Sinn on Youtube for REVIEW. These DO NOT replace the reading you need to do. 

Lastly, DO NOT wait to ask for help if you need help. AP history classes aren't simply teaching content like "traditional" history classes. You are learning new ways to read, analyze, think, and write on top of deeper content dives! You will take these skill sets with you into life. They are worth the work.  

Effective ACT Prep

Fall is hard. While most of us are enjoying the changing foliage and our Pumpkin Spiced everything, high school students in the United States are stressing about the ACT exams coming up on October 28th and December 9th. While there are also exams in late Winter, Spring, and Summer, the October and December tests are the make-or-break tests for scholarships and early admissions for many colleges and universities. With the horryifing increase of college-related costs, it is little wonder my students and their parents are concerned about academic performance. I have worked with students and their families through this grueling season for years now; I see the same self-doubt, panic, and (sometimes) resignation every year. 

Many students will take the ACT more than once. The first time is, more or less, testing the waters and seeing where students' starting points are. The results of this first test are met with either delighted surprise, horror, or indifference (typically by students...not parents). When the potential benefits or consequences start settling in, the stress begins.

What can be done?

ACT Exam preparation is a marathon, not a sprint. An ACT English session the week of the exam will not help. A weekend workshop will not create a big change on its own. There. I said it. 

"You teach these things! They don't help?"

That is not what I said. What I am saying is that "one and done" preparation does not and will not work. On the flip side of that coin is the fact that extremely drawn out preparation without a goal other than an increased score doesn't work either. 

Think about it for a bit. The ACT exam is testing all the academic skill sets students should have developed in their English and math classes during their entire K-12 academic career. The exam tests mathematical analytical thinking; mechanical & rhetorical language application; academic analytical reading (Literary Narrative, Humanities, Natural Sciences, AND Social Sciences); and scientific analytical reading and data analysis. 

The goal is (pardon the cliche) to work smarter...not harder. That first test students take is a goldmine of information about where they are in each of the four disciplines and what needs to be retaught or refreshed. ACT always offers the diagnostic information at the time of registration. While parents do not need to purchase it for every test, it is a wise move for that first exam. Experienced tutors will often ask if students have this diagnostic information. While the data provided by the diagnostic may seem unhelpful to parents as they sift through it trying to see what their students need, experienced, subject-specific tutors will know exactly how to use that information to begin isolating problem areas. 

The most effective approach to ACT exam preparation is actually identifying the skill sets that are weak and reteaching and learning how to apply them. There is a heirarchy of skill set frequency on the exam. When students actually learn how to apply them in order of frequency, students don't simply increase their scores; they become stronger in that subject and develop more confidence. I tell my students to take what they learn in our ACT English or ACT Reading sessions and apply those skills to their written work or academic reading in school. 

One uncomfortable secret about the ACT exam is that it truly does reflect college readiness. It is for that reason that I approach ACT prep for English and Reading as the last opportunity to get students ready for the writing and reading they will need to do during their Freshman year. It isn't just about the exam today. It is about student success tomorrow.